Sustainable House Design

ATHURUGIRIYA Site Selection & Orientation

MANDATE

• Surrounded with green

paddy fields. Situated in
Colombo Suburb. An 18
perch land area.
• Wet Climate Zone
• Around 35m elevation
from Mean Sea Level
• House plan outline
length to width ratio
1.14
• Windows placed in
wind direction to allow
wind ventilation
• Maximum use of
daylight considering
sun path
FIGURE 1-SITE LOCATION & SUN PATH
 House Plan & Building Orientation

FIGURE 3- BUILDING ORIENTATION FIGURE 2- MODIFIED HOUSE PLAN

 Carbon Footprint
Carbon Emission % for Base Building Carbon Emission % Sustainable
0% Building
1% 1%
1% 15%
22% 21%
Super
Structure
8% Sub Structure
69% Finishes
62%

70
Carbon Emission Comparison
Base HOTSPOTS Sustainable
60
50
40 Zn/Al roof Roof Calicut tile
30
20 Aluminium Doors/Windows Timber
10
0
Sub Super Plumbing Electrical Finishes Ceramic Floor Tile Wood
Structure Structure
FIGURE 4- CARBON FOOTPRINT COMPARISON & HOTSPOT IDENTIFICATION
Conventional Building Sustainable Building
 amount of embodied energy. Therefore, timber would
Life Cycle Design be an ideal selection for doors and windows.
From Cradle to Grave approach to Cradle to Cradle
approach.
Design for Human
THERMAL COMFORT
Natural ventilation inside the house by placing
Product Stage windows in wind direction. Sunshades are provided for
every window.

Resuse/Repair Construction

W2

End-of Life
Use Stage
Stage

FIGURE 5 - LIFE CYCLE PROCESS

FIGURE 6-MODIFIED PLAN FIGURE 7-ORIGINAL
CHANGE
Explaining through hotspots identified PLAN

Wood/timber can be classified as highly durable and As a step towards preservation of natural conditions of
recyclable material at the end of its life stage. the surrounding, an amount has been reserved for
Manufacturing aluminium materials emits a high landscaping from the initial budget. This will help to
reduce urban heat island effect.
TABLE 1-TOTAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION DURING OPERATIONAL STAGE – CONVENTIONAL HOUSE

Applications Number of Avg. Operating Capacity Energy Carbon

applications hours/day (KW) Consumption Emission
(KWh)/day kg CO2 e- /year
Light 12 8 0.012 1.152 119.03
Fan 8 18 0.4 57.6 5951.3
Computer 1 5 0.19 0.95 98.15
Telephone 1 2 0.01 0.02 2.07
Microwave oven 1 1 1.5 1.5 154.98
Refrigerator 1 18 0.4 7.2 743.91
Air conditioner 6 4 5.5 132 13638
Blender 1 0.5 0.5 0.25 25.83
Kettle 1 1.5 1.2 1.8 185.977
TV-Plasma 1 9 0.2 1.8 185.98
Smart phone 3 5 0.006 0.03 3.1
Sewing machine 1 0.2 0.1 0.02 2.066
Security system 1 24 0.5 12 1239.85
Curling iron 1 1 1.2 1.2 123.985
Washing machine 1 1 1.15 1.15 118.82
Rice cooker 1 1 0.2 0.2 20.66
Total Carbon Emission kg CO2 e- per year 19988.653
TABLE 2-TOTAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION DURING OPERATIONAL STAGE – SUSTAINABLE HOUSE
Applications Number of Avg. Operating Capacity Energy Carbon
applications hours/day (KW) Consumption Emission
(KWh)/day kg CO2 e- / year
Light 12 8 0.012 1.152 119.03
Fan 8 18 0.4 57.6 5951.3
Computer 1 5 0.19 0.95 98.15
Telephone 1 2 0.01 0.02 2.07
Refrigerator 1 18 0.4 7.2 154.98
Blender 1 1 0.5 0.5 51.66
Kettle 1 1.5 1.2 1.8 185.977
TV-LCD 1 9 0.15 1.35 139.483
Solar system 1 9 -2 -18 -1859.77
Smart phone 3 5 0.006 0.03 3.1
Sewing machine 1 0.2 0.1 0.02 2.07
Security system 1 24 0.5 12 1239.85
Curling iron 1 1 1.2 1.2 123.98
Washing machine 1 1 1.15 1.15 118.82
Rice cooker 1 1 0.2 0.2 20.66
Total Carbon Emission kg CO2 e- per year 6350.653
 SUSTAINABLE HOUSE
DESIGN SKETCHUP
DRAWING
Efficient use of land-
No unnecessary constructions.
Acreage divided in to two parts
(building and landscaping)
Efficient use of material-
No larger excavations.
Reinforcements are avoided.
(Unreinforced brick column)

CONVENTIONAL
HOUSE DESIGN
SKETCHUP DRAWING
References
• Kharazipour, Alireza & Kües, Ursula. (2007).
Recycling of Wood Composites and Solid Wood
Products.
• Sev, Ayşin. (2009). How Can the Construction
Industry Contribute to Sustainable Development? A
Conceptual Framework. Sustainable Development.
17. 161-173. 10.1002/sd.373.
• Petroche, Daniel & Ramirez, Angel & Rodriguez,
Carlos & Salas, Daniel & Boero, Andrea & Duque-
Rivera, Jorge. (2015). Life cycle assessment of
residential buildings: a review of methodologies.
217-225. 10.2495/SC150201.
Morrissey, John & Moore, Trivess & Horne, Ralph.
(2011). Affordable passive solar design in a temperate
climate: An experiment in residential building
orientation. Renewable Energy. 36. 568-577.
10.1016/j.renene.2010.08.013